HIS343 Lec 2-5.docx

HIS343 Lecture 5 - 2/5/13
● Israeli intelligence - Israel created in 1948 - the Mossad is one of the most famous
intelligence groups, along with the CIA, MI6, and the KGB
● intelligence played a role in formation of Israeli government - government and
intelligence goes hand-in-hand - uses all forms of intelligence, especially human int
● Israeli intelligence community: Shin Bet (domestic intelligence agency, like FBI), the
Mossad (foreign intelligence), and AMAN (military intelligence)
● Yom Kippur War (known as the 4th war) - Egypt and Syria attacking Israel (October
1973) - Egypt movies in at Suez Canal, Syria at the Golan Heights - Israel was caught
off guard but launched a counter-attack and succeeded in pushing the armies back -
● October 1973 - almost leads to a superpower confrontation between US and Soviet
Union - US supports Israel and Soviet supports Syria and Egypt
● cease-fire is in late October right after Israel enters Egypt
● Egyptians move from being Soviet ally to American ally and Egyptians formally make
peace with Israel a few years later
● starts off as a crisis, but becomes an opportunity for Israel and Egypt to fix relationship
● case study because classic surprise attack on Israel - main intelligence failure, analyzed
similar to the intelligence failure of 9/11
● AMAN failed to provide a timely warning despite having inkling that Egypt was going to
attack - problem with assessing information
● 1947 UN Partition Plan - formation of the Israeli state - 2 states formed in Palestine,
Arab state and Jewish state - civil war breaks out between 2 states
● May 1948 - formally declare Israel independence - now lines of separation between the
2 states, and Gaza strip is occupied by Egypt
● 1950s state of no-war no-peace continues
● cout in Egyptian monarchy with Gamal Nasser, Nasser becomes pan-Arab hero and
Soviet ally - Palestinian raiders from Gaza Strip into Israel
● Nasser decides to nationalize Suez Canal Company
● 1956 Suez War - as a response to Egypt nationalization of SCC, France, England, and
Israel team up against Egypt (France thinks Nasser is supporting Algerian rebels)
● US team up with Soviets to demand they withdraw from Egypt (Eisenhower feels
humiliated by his usual allies of France and Britain)
● UN decision to place peace-keeping army near Egyptian-Israeli border
● Nasser is supposed to be pan-Arab leader against Israel but looks weak; to increase his
power he tells UN army to leave
● June 1967 - Nasser declares no Israeli ships into Straits of Tehran (leads to Gulf of Elat)
- war move, Egypt mobilizes forces - 6 Day War of 1967
● Israel launches preemptive attack against Syria and Egypt (US advice) - leads to Israeli
control over key territories (entire Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights, as
well as West Bank where Jerusalem is)
● declare they won’t withdraw until Egypt/Syria make peace
● by 1970-71 - there are raids on either side of the Suez Canal by Israel and Egypt
● 1970 - Nasser dies, Anwar Sadat emerges as leader - rules till 1981 (assassinated) ● Sadat turns to US as mediator, hopes they will force Israel to communicate
● Mossad agents warned of the attacks of the joint Syrian/Egyptian forces in 1973
● head of Mossad estimated in 1973 that the enemy forces were capable of war
● analytical phase failed, rather than the collection of information phase
● 6 Day War had created sense of confidence of strategic position among the Arab states
- thought the Suez Canal on the Israeli side was impenetrable - belief that Arab forces
were inferior
● Sadat expelled Soviet army adv